The Daily Down Dog

So here comes the fun part about having a blog, I get to share some personal things I’m up to in my everyday living. Quite recently, I decided that I would do one downward facing dog yoga pose (adho mukha svanasana) once a day for the next year.

Why am I doing this you ask? Yoga has been a part of my life since I first discovered it in a book by Raquel Welch of all people, that I found in the basement of a townhouse I was sharing in 1991 (seriously, check out the Raquel Welch Total Beauty and Fitness Program). I’ve taken classes on and off since, discovering the many styles of yoga from Bikram to Anusara. I’ve gotten into the spirit of yoga by learning to meditate and even twirling my chakras to get over a bad breakup. Yoga is now a bigger part of my life than ever.

I’ve also been thinking a lot about commitment lately and that I have some blind spots that are really holding me back. You know, those states of indecision that feel a lot like procrastination. What if I could commit to one thing to flex my commitment muscle that isn’t too overwhelming that I could easily do everyday. The down dog popped into my head.

I shared this with a colleague the other day and she ask me a great question – why this pose in particular. What was it about the down dog that spoke to me? I think it’s simple, it reminds me that you have the power to feel better by just moving your body a certain way. Doing one down dog a day reminds me to keep yoga – the mind, body, and spirit of yoga, close to my heart.

I challenge you to find your own “down dog,” that one thing you can commit to doing everyday for one year. It can be as simple as touching your toes or stretching your back in bed. Maybe it’s opening your arms wide to great the morning. Most importantly, find something that feels right and brings a smile to your face everyday.